Each year, Canadian Lawyer launches the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers survey to determine the best in the justice system and legal profession.
For 2025, our Top 25 will be made up of the top 5 in each of the following categories:
- Human Rights, Advocacy and Criminal: lawyers who have advocated for individuals or public interest causes through litigation or in a public forum
- Business: lawyers who have influenced the marketplace in Canada – this could be through leadership at a business-facing law firm, legal work, advocacy for market reforms, and improved competition. This category includes many aspects related to business law, including litigation, big deals, class actions, and law firm leadership.
- In-house: lawyers employed in an in-house position.
- Changemakers: lawyers in any practice who have been leaders, innovators, or catalysts for positive change in any area of the profession, such as diversity, law firm management, technology, education, etc.
- Government/non-profits/associations/judiciary: this includes public inquiries, officers of Parliament, academic institutions, the judiciary, and those serving public institutions in various capacities
Please note that lawyers who have won this recognition in the last five years are not eligible.
